Leadership and Diversity Trainings

Legal Services Corporation of Virginia - 030134

Abstract Number: 030134

August 2003

Legal Services Corporation of Virginia (LSCV) is developing a series of trainings on leadership and diversity for legal services providers in Virginia. LSCV launched this initiative after participating in a diversity workshop for clients, staff and board members held at Virginia's annual statewide training conference in the fall of 2002. Following this workshop, LSCV completed a diversity assessment of Virginia's delivery system in the winter of 2002 during which LSCV examined the racial and gender characteristics of all legal aid program staff and compared staff demographics to client demographics. LSCV then modified its grant application and desk review evaluation forms to include specific narrative sections on issues of leadership and diversity.

After completing this assessment, a sub-group of the statewide planning assembly began working with Management Information Exchange (MIE) to develop leadership and cultural competency training modules for the delivery system. A draft agenda for four quarterly trainings during the coming year has been developed and is currently being fine-tuned by the planning assembly's sub-group. Each training session will last for two days during which participants will develop client centered projects to implement with their programs. Each of Virginia's legal services programs is expected to send at least one participant to the trainings. Some will send two or three participants. LSCV will provide minority participant scholarships to assure full and diverse participation by all programs. LSCV will also meet with the State Client Council in the Fall of 2003 to discuss adaptation of the leadership and cultural competency training for clients.

The stakeholders involved in the project include the statewide planning assembly, all Virginia legal aid program staffs and boards, Virginia's client council, LSCV, the statewide training and support center, MIE, and Legal Services Corporation. LSCV was assigned the task of coordinating the leadership and diversity project with planning team participants and other stakeholders. The leadership and cultural competency training is being developed with significant input and guidance from MIE.

Virginia's legal services providers hope that the focus on leadership and diversity will lead to more diverse staffs and boards, more leadership opportunities for staff and clients, more opportunities for staff members to engage in challenging projects, and improved services for clients as cultural competency of boards and staffs is enhanced. Training agendas as well as substantive training documents will be posted as they become available.

Contact Information:

Mark Braley
Executive Director
Legal Services Corporation of Virginia
700 E. Main Street, Suite 1504
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Phone: (804) 782-9438
Fax: (804) 648-3917
Email

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